Hexagram 15 of 64
Modesty 地山谦
☷☶ Earth over Mountain
Modesty and quiet strength.
In the I Ching, Hexagram 15 is modesty: quiet strength that lets others shine. Its six line texts are mostly auspicious, but each comes with a condition — humility that others can hear, labour without display, and firmness where something is genuinely wrong. It describes a way of acting, not a blanket promise that whatever you do will go well.
Judgment
亨，君子有终。
Success. The noble person sees things through to the end.
Image
地中有山，谦；君子以裒多益寡，称物平施。
A mountain within the earth: modesty. The noble person takes from the abundant to give to the lacking, and weighs things fairly.
The six lines
Read from the bottom line (the beginning) to the top line (the outcome). Each line gives the classical text, our English translation, and a plain-language reading.
初六：谦谦君子，用涉大川，吉。
A noble person who is modest and humble can cross great rivers. Good fortune.
Humility at the start gives you the stamina for a long project.
六二：鸣谦，贞吉。
Modesty that others can hear. Steady perseverance brings good fortune.
Your humility is visible to others, and it earns trust.
九三：劳谦君子，有终，吉。
A noble person who labors and stays humble sees things through to the end. Good fortune.
Hard work done without seeking credit lasts. It is what carries results over time.
六四：无不利，撝谦。
Nothing unfavorable. Modesty that reaches outward.
Leading others with humility causes no harm and makes cooperation easier.
六五：不富，以其邻，利用侵伐，无不利。
Not relying on wealth, but on one's neighbors. It is favorable to act against those who do wrong, and nothing is unfavorable.
Lean on goodwill rather than your own riches. When a clear wrong must be corrected, firm action is favorable.
上六：鸣谦，利用行师，征邑国。
Modesty proclaimed. It is favorable to act firmly against those who refuse what is right.
Even modesty must sometimes speak. When a clear wrong needs correcting, measured and firm action is appropriate.
In practice
Love and relationships
Modesty in a relationship makes room for the other person. Listen before you explain, and let your partner's view count as much as your own.
Work and decisions
Quiet confidence lets results speak for themselves. Give others credit, and take on the unglamorous tasks that hold the whole work together.
Money
Living within your means and sharing the load with others is favorable. Avoid displays of wealth that invite envy or pressure.
How to use this reading
Consider where pride is getting in the way of a good outcome, and what one humble step would look like.
New to the method? Start with the six-line basics.
For cultural reflection only. This is not a prediction guarantee or professional advice.